


Passing the Torch

by Cap_Soph606_iheartpudding



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, This fic may contain sensitive topics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 05:20:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17636699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Soph606_iheartpudding/pseuds/Cap_Soph606_iheartpudding
Summary: V has just told Jumin of a serious issue. This is the story of what happens next.





	Passing the Torch

As he readied himself, he took another sip of his wine. It’s the fourteenth sip of wine of the third glass I had today, he thought. The sweet, strong sensation he had always felt in his taste buds when the crimson red fluid rushed through them had almost disappeared, as if his senses had already grown numb because of all the previous sips he had taken. He was about to give a speech; and it was going to be his first time; in front of guests like the ones who had attended that party, of course; he was quite adept to giving speeches by that time, being a busy businessman who was required to give such speeches many times for his work. There were many unique people there at the party. There was a guild master of a very famous game, a strong tribesman from a little island in the middle of nowhere; there was a man who claimed to be the ‘God of Genesis’, if he wasn’t mistaken; and there was also... an extremely long cat. He had encountered such strange individuals during his uncountable number of business trips, but never before had he heard of most of the wacky guests who had been invited by both him and his fellow members, who he had called his acquaintances and friends. It didn’t really matter him that the guests were strange, though. All that mattered to him was that there were plenty of guests who attended and are willing to contribute to the cause. You see, he was part of an association named “Rika’s Fundraising Association”. It was an association established by his dear friends that aimed to help those in need, such as the homeless and poor. Those two friends of his had gathered a couple of friends too and recruited them. He was one of the first members. There was Yoosung, a college student who took up veterinary science as his major. He was a young man who loved his late cousin dearly, and he vowed to her before she died to become a vet in order to help those pets who had ended up like her pet dog, Sally, who passed away several years ago. His cousin was Rika. Then there was Zen, an incredibly handsome musical actor who was discovered for his looks and talent in acting, singing and playing the piano. He had always thought that the albino was obnoxious and a narcissist. The two would bicker about the most little things, and he preferred not to talk to him for he knew he would just get extremely annoyed. There was Seven Zero Seven... a mysterious hacker with red hair and an uncontrollable obsession for cats. That man always begged him to let him play with his cat, Elizabeth 3rd, whom he treasured deeply; and he would have allowed him to, If not for the strange actions he considered as ‘playing’. He enforced tight security measures just to protect his car, and though it was completely normal for him, he still found it irritating... but other than that, he respected the young man for his skills and abilities; his job was very risky and complicated. There was also Jaehee Kang, who used to be his assistant. Recent events compelled her to quit her job and pursue her dreams, and he was quite against the idea, considering how diligent and responsible she was, but he had no choice. It was her decision, and he can’t do anything to control her. Not anymore. There was [y/n]... who was a gentle, kind soul. She was the one who helped Jaehee escape from the sealed cage she was trapped in and achieve her goals. She was an astounding human being, and he always wondered if she would’ve been a good Chief Assistant after Jaehee. Unfortunately, he would never know as she would never become his assistant; both she and Jaehee were against the idea. The two were very close, and they seemed to take a liking for one another. Then, of course, there was him; a logical and wealthy businessman who was to become the Chairman of his family’s company. Someone was there, in the very back of his mind, but he did not wish to bring that person up. It was too much for him at the moment, he felt. Thinking, he took a fifteenth sip of his wine and stared at the half-empty glass. He was supposed to be happy, he was supposed to be ecstatic; bursting even... but something hindered him from doing so. It was a matter he would always keep to himself, he pondered, and no matter how much someone would ask him what it was, he would never answer them. He sat in silence.

 

“Mr. Han; I mean, Jumin...! It’s time for you to give the welcoming speech.” 

 

That voice... it was Jaehee’s. Even though he had not heard it much but was said to have already grown tired of hearing it, he could actually recognize it in an instant. He did not say anything, but he cleared his throat, signifying to her that he was prepared. He fixed his tie and stood, fidgeting with his white gloves as he started to head on over to the stage where he would share his speech to the public. Making sure his hair was kept, he swept his bangs over to the side, fixing it and making it tidy. Jaehee looked at him worriedly. She knew he was not a man of many words, but he did not normally behave that way. If there was something wrong, she didn’t know... but if there was, she would be obliged to help. 

“Jumin?” she asked. “Is there something bothering you? You’ve been behaving oddly for the last couple of hours.” Jumin looked at her directly in the eyes, a small smile imprinted on his usually-serious face.

“No. No, I’m fine. Thanks for your concern.” he replied, his hand positioned as if he were asking her to stop. He climbed up the tiny steps and grabbed the microphone that was placed on the stand at the leftmost area of the stage. He patted it lightly, resting whether it was working and placed it near his mouth when he heard a sound emit from the speakers that surrounded the venue.

“Ladies and gentlemen.” he began, looking around at the audience, a welcoming expression on his face. “I would like to thank you all for coming to the third charity party our association is holding in the entirety of the time it has stood. The donation box for donations in forms of paper bills, coins and checks are there by the area the entrance is located. If you wish to send your donations another way, please contact me right after. You may also communicate with the other guests, they may have something important or enticing to tell you, and I must say that there are many unique offers each of you can provide to help the economy of our country, and of course, those in need of financial assistance and support.” as he spoke, Zen whispered to Yoosung, who was seated right beside him. The student was amazed by Jumin and wondered if he would be able to do that someday as well. 

“That jerk... even if he has an amicable look on that face of his, he still sounds emotionless... like a robot.” Zen said. Seven overheard his statement and chuckled a bit. Even during the party, which was supposed to be his rest day, he still worked as he had to deal with the hacker problem he faced. There was a hacker who had recently hacked into his messenger. He did not know the culprit yet, but he decided he would contact the leader one he found out who attacked. Jumin continued to speak in the background. 

“Anyways... those of you who have attended at least one of our parties before must be wondering why it is I who is giving the welcome speech. You surely remember the previous hosts. Well, I’m deeply saddened to say that one has passed while the other... is unable to attend due to health conditions. However, the association will continue to stay strong despite the challenges it faces as it stands.”

“Hmph.” Yoosung grunted. “He’s not going to attend due to health reasons, huh? Why does he never say anything to us? Why won’t he tell us what’s happening anymore?” He disliked their association’s leader to the point that he hated him. He always thought him secretive and irresponsible, and he was frustrated nobody else agreed with him. 

“Yoosung, please excuse him for now. I’m sure he’ll tell us everything once he gets better.” Jaehee said, nudging Yoosung’s shoulder in a manner that he could not identify whether was scolding or consoling. Yoosung scoffed.

“The association has suffered from some blows because of unknown reasons, but we are doing our best to recover quickly from the damages we are suffering from. Because of that, I have realized something: all members from a group must be transparent in order for it to function properly. If one keeps a secret from the rest, the whole group will suffer, and it will be harder for everyone to cooperate and recover. Trust is an important gift we must be able to keep in order to live a proper and fulfilling life. We must share that gift to those we know can keep it and hold it dearly in their hearts and minds without unconsciously giving it away. Without trust, we live in a deceitful and dangerous world where anything could just happen; and we, even we are merely what you call a ‘fundraising organization’, we want to help the world realize that and remember it so that it may uphold the value of trust and know how important it is today.” Jumin said, his voice monotone, but the members could sense slight emotion to it.

“What...? Why’s the dude gone sentimental all of a sudden?” Zen asked. The others did nothing else, said nothing else, but stared.

“I do not know if it is improper for me to share my personal experiences, so I will not... but if there are any thoughts and questions from any of you, I am open to being asked.” A hand shot up from the crowd. Jumin gestured to the guest that may stand and speak. 

“Excuse me, but if I may ask... why is there no auction of photographs today? I have actually attended the past two parties; and I have noticed that there was always an auction of photographs by the famous photographer ‘V’... they made huge amounts of profit and benefitted the cause a lot, but I’m shocked to see no sign of pictures today. As a dear friend of the artist, I would like to ask: is he alright? If you know what illness he is suffering from, may you tell me? I ask this not only for my benefit, but also for the benefit of those who would be affected by the current situation.” the guest spoke. The rest of the audience suddenly seemed to stare at Jumin, as if they were wishing to ask the same question. The other RFA members continued to stare at him, observing his body language. He remained calm, but he seemed to freeze when he was asked of his closest friend’s health. But why? His health condition wasn’t all so bad. Jumin distanced himself from the mic and cleared his throat again. He looked fairly pale.

“Oh yes... addressing your questions, the photographs the photographer has taken are in a briefcase that one of our members brought. The pictures will be laid out on the auction table soon. As for the artist’s health condition, he is currently suffering from the flu, but other than that, he is fine. Thank you.” Upon hearing the host’s answer, the guest bowed slightly and sat back down. Jumin asked the crowd whether they still had any more questions. There were none. “And with that, I would like to end my welcoming speech by thanking all of you for attending once again our charity party. Have a good day.” The guests applauded as Jumin placed the microphone gently on the stand where he got it and headed back to his seat. He unexpectedly gulped down all the wine remaining in his glass in one sitting and ordered for another. He looked entirely different from onstage; back there, he looked pleased and happy, but there on his seat, he looked tense and stressed. The waiter brought a tray and placed a glass of wine on his spot. Jumin did not bother to look up, but he said a ‘thank you’ anyway.

“This is the first sip I’ll be taking from my fourth glass of wine...” he muttered. Though it was quite inaudible, the rest of the RFA heard him and looked at him, concerned.   
“Jumin, are you alright? You seem very bothered today. You did not sound well when I talked to you on the phone earlier either.” Jaehee said. She knew her ex-boss was not doing well; from the two years she spent employed under him, she could determine if something was troubling him.

“As I said earlier, I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.” Jumin lied, taking the sip of wine. Although she had more to say, Jaehee stayed silent, afraid that she may anger him. The group sat in silence for a while, only to be disturbed by a sound.

 

Ping!

 

Jumin felt his pockets for his phone. He not only heard the sound, but also the vibration his phone made whenever there was an email or text message. He opened the device and looked at the singular notification on his screen. He did not read it out loud; thinking that it may be a private message, but as his eyes skimmed through the words flashed on the screen, he gulped down his wine again in a flash and stood up. He was about to walk away when Zen stopped him, saying “Oi. Where do you think you’re going?” Jumin sighed and explained himself briefly.

“Sorry, but I must go. There is an important business meeting I must attend. It’s unavoidable... please take care of the party in my absence.” Before anyone could say anything, Jumin disappeared and hopped into the car Driver Kim usually drove. He told the driver of his destination, and the man nodded, placing his foot on the accelerator and speeding away from the party venue. Jumin took of his gloves and placed them neatly beside him; looking outside the window and staring at the bright, blue sky. As the car sped past the many buildings, he clutched his phone, expecting messages from his friends to pop up on his screen, but it turned out to be the opposite; much to his surprise. His breathing turned shallow as he rotated the smartphone around in his palms, remembering that fateful night when he uncovered the most shocking secret he thought he would ever hear.

 

Jaehee had just left C&R and he was enraged. He had taken one of Seven’s cars out for a drive earlier that day only to intentionally crash it as he was not the expert at driving as an act of revenge for taking away his most trusted and most valued assistant from him. He left the broken car, unscathed; taking a picture of the wreck and sending it to the messenger, showing it to both the owner and the other members. He was scolded by Jaehee for doing something as unwise as that, but she was still very concerned, just like most of the members. He had returned home later that night, still annoyed by the fact that he would have to find a new Chief Assistant to replace Jaehee, and he knew that there was rarely a person just like her. There was even a hacker to add up to his problems. It was not that he was the one who had to directly fight back, but it was he who felt responsible and wanted to talk to his dearest friend, the leader of the RFA: V. To what seemed as purely coincidence, V visited him that very night; and when he was brought to him by the security guards, he hoped that he would be able to discuss important matters with him... but it turned out that he himself had much more urgent matters pressing down on him. He spoke in a melancholy tone, and he seemed weaker and paler that night for a strange reason he did not know of. The two exchanged short greetings, and when he was about to introduce the issues happening in the messenger, V had told him a horrible, horrible truth: he was sick with terminal liver cancer. He was in denial. How? Why? When? He prayed silently that he had heard wrong. He prayed fervently that it was all a lie, but it wasn’t. He knew that if he was truly sick with terminal liver cancer, he wouldn’t have much time left to live, and he grabbed him by the gray coat he wore and furiously screamed at him, telling him to ‘stop the drama’ and to ‘quit with the nonsense that he has liver cancer’... yet V wouldn’t stop. He insisted him to believe him. V told him that he was so aggrieved by Rika’s death that he lost interest in living and wished not to say anything to the members so that they may not worry. Jumin, shocked and raged as he was, could not say much and said that he would help V survive his illness, but V refused. That only enraged him more, and he wanted to say more, only to find out that their conversation had been cut short when V promptly left. Since then, he was very troubled and he had decided to keep his condition a secret as well, though he knew it wasn’t the smart choice. He never understood why. He had sent someone to him to help him, and he never saw him after that. But now, he would be seeing him again, and he wondered if he would look any different.   
V, V, what have you done to yourself? 

 

Eventually, he arrived at his desired location and set foot on the ground outside the car, closing the door right behind him and stepping into the building. He viewed the message again and went to the place it specified. He walked through many doors and navigated his way throughout the confusing hallways that comprised the interiors of the facility. He stopped at a door and knocked, opening the door just right after. Taking a few steps, he finally caught a glimpse of one of the sights he never wanted to see.

 

“Hello, V... why did you call me here today?”

 

V was thin; or at least, thinner than he normally was. His skin was tinted yellow, and all the color he had left in his eyes had completely disappeared. Luckily, his chest continued to rise and fall normally, indicating he had no trouble breathing... yet. However, he could not understand: it has only been less than a day since he sent him there... why was he already in that kind of state? Hearing his dearest friend’s voice, V smiled tightly and sadly at that. 

“I’m sorry for making you miss the party. I’m sure you wanted to attend the first party we’ll be having after two years of inactivity.” he apologized, his smile vanishing from his face. Jumin grunted. V sighed. “I know you’re still angry at me because of all of this. I know you still feel betrayed; and I called you here to perhaps be able to explain myself properly and reconcile with you. Now... take a seat. We’ll have plenty of important matters to discuss.” He gestured at the chair beside his bed. Jumin approached it and slowly sat down. His eyebrows showed signs of both worry and agitation, and his fists were clenched.

“V, you’ve made such a stupid decision.” Jumin said, trying to hold back his anger. V shook his head, though it seemed he had difficulty doing so.

“I know.” he said. “I know, but if in death I join Rika in heaven... then I’ll be glad to die.” Jumin growled at his statement.

“You’ve said that before... but did you not listen to what I said? Don’t tell me you’re as deaf as you are blind. Don’t you think she’d feel sad? Don’t you think she’d feel angry? She loved you, V... and she wanted you to live happily and healthily. Now, this is happening...” he said, his teeth grinding a tiny bit.

“Then I apologize to her. I apologize to you and the members as well. I’m sure all of you wanted to know what was happening to me, and I refused to say anything. But... you know me, Jumin... I’d hate to tell them about my condition. I’ll just worry them.”   
“We’ve been friends since childhood. Does that mean nothing to you? Why did you tell not even me about this? As for the other members, I know you’re the type of person who’d love to take all the burden for yourself, but this is too much. Yes, they would worry but is that not at all natural? They are already worrying, and they don’t even know about you.”

“Jumin... our friendship means so much to me. You were the only who I talked to when I was young. You helped me. I treasure you, just as I treasure the other members... I’m sorry.”

“Quit apologizing. The other members have a right to know this... as people who care genuinely about you, but you chose to keep it a secret, and now this... this is a reality. You wish me to keep silent as well, and I follow, but with guilt. If you... when you... ugh... when you die (he coughed as he said the word), they will no doubt ask me about you, and I’ll be forced to lie to them out of utter devotion to you. I hate that path. Please, Jihyun... don’t let it end for you like this.” Jihyun laughed a bit hearing Jumin say that. It was a sad laugh.

“I never thought you’d be the one to say that. You’ve always been business-like, with no time for emotions.” he sighed. “I know the members have the right to know, and I thank you for keeping silent about this, but no matter what you do, please don’t let them find out. I am aware that you hate doing that, but for my sake, do it. If it doesn’t involve them getting hurt badly, I’ll gladly take that route.” Jumin’s voice started to sound desperate, and he couldn’t help but shake as he spoke.

“What kind of paths do you take? Are you blinded also to the fact that the other members would also be devastated when they find out that you’ve passed? How do you wish them to view you? A man who disappeared from the world in a flash, not even bothering to say goodbye one final time to the people who loved and cared for him when no one else did? I must admit, V... you’ve not been the best person as of late. You’ve been keeping secrets too numerous to count; and you’ve ignored your friends and family. Let your conscience be clear before you leave; tell them before it’s too late.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Jumin.”

“Then tell me! Explain to me the whole reason why you wish things to end like this, you selfish man!” Jumin exclaimed.

“When I was first diagnosed with this, Rika had died. Her death killed me. I wanted nothing to do with life anymore, and I wanted quickly to pass also from this world. I knew that if the others knew, they would send help, and I wouldn’t be able to fight back; so I kept silent. I couldn’t determine whether I was ashamed for doing so or happy for doing so, but I continued. My condition worsened as time went by until I knew my life would very nearly meet its end. That’s when I realized that I needed to say something to someone. A special someone who I can rely on. That someone is you, Jumin.” Jumin’s eyes began to water up, though not obviously, and V’s voice grew shakier every time he spoke.

“That does not answer my question, Jihyun.”

“We do what we do because of what we believe. I believe that the members would be less hurt if they did not know about the truth behind my passing. Although you’ve denied my statement, I think you know it to be the truth. Please, speak well of me even after my death.”

“V, how do you expect me to do that when you’ve betrayed me? Lied to me?” Jumin asked, his voice strangled.

“Because you’re my dear, dear friend; and you, out of all people would be the best one to understand, although you may not believe it.” Jumin gasped as a tear rolled down his cheek. Not wanting to show his small outburst of emotion, he bowed his head, but V commanded him to look at him and not be afraid to show what he really felt. Jumin obeyed, revealing his grief-stricken face which also showed signs of fear or anxiety.

“Jihyun... I don’t want you to leave. When Rika vanished from this world, you were the only person I had left. You two understood me so well, and you two were the only ones whom I opened up to. Now that both of you are gone, who will I have left? Will I be able to stay sane? In truth, I’m so afraid... and if there was any way for me to save you, I would... but I know it’s too late now.” 

“Would it console you if I said that I, too am afraid of death itself? I mean, the only reason why I would welcome it with open arms is because I will finally be able to be reunited with Rika, but other than that, what other reason exists to be glad? I know I’ve made a stupid decision, and that I’m not the only one who would pay the full price, but I never felt remorse, saying it to myself. Hearing you say that brings me that missing remorse, and I regret my choice, though not wholly.”

“Don’t leave me... after all these years... not you, not you... out of everyone else, just not you.” V moved his frail arm and felt Jumin’s hands with his bony ones. They were as cold as ice.

“I remember what Rika and I used to say to one another. We used to say that when we leave this world, our souls would be reunited in heaven. We told each other that when one leaves this earth, they never truly leave, as their souls always stay with the people they loved. I believed every word we uttered, and I would like to invite you and myself to believe in that now. Jumin, I will never truly leave you... my soul will linger around you, watching you and talking to you from above. Never feel lonely; for I am still there... and if you feel like you need to talk, just speak what you feel, and I will listen. I promise.”

“You know, I’ve always been amused by how you can easily believe it in such supernatural things. I tend to focus on only reality.” Jihyun chuckled to himself as he heard his friend say that.

“Well, you know how different we are in terms of philosophy and beliefs. But even if you don’t believe in spirits or souls, you know I will still be with you: in your mind and in your heart. Now that you can believe.”

“I’ve never been so distressed in my whole life... I wish there was a glass of wine available for me on this table this very moment.” Jumin sighed. 

“Please try not to drown yourself in wine, okay, Jumin?” V said, wishing to lighten up the mood by even just a fraction by cracking a tiny joke. Though it was a dark sort of jest, Jumin seemed to smile a bit.

“Yes...” Jumin said, placing his hand on his forehead and massaging it. V could not see it, but he sensed Jumin’s hands slip away from his grasp.

“The answer may be obvious... but I’ll ask anyway: is something wrong?” he asked, his colorless eyes going towards Jumin’s direction.

“No, no... it’s just... I’m so tired of all of this.” Jumin replied rather weakly.  
“I am too, and I’d like to talk more, but this painkiller I’m taking, Morphine... if I take it now, I will be sent to sleep because of its strength. The path I’ve chosen is full of pain, and I wish to experience the most pain possible, but I know you’d hate that, so I’ll spare myself. Before I take it though, I’d like to ask one final question.” Jumin put his hand back down and leaned forward, hoping to hear his friend’s question. He had noticed that his voice had become increasingly soft every minute that passed.

 

...

 

“Yoosung, can you get the documents waiting for me at the second floor? I need to contact the Oil Prince to schedule a meeting with him sometime within this month and I won’t be able to fetch them.” Jumin asked his new Chief Assistant. Yoosung had graduated from college a month or two earlier and was eager to fill in Jaehee’s spot after hearing about the high salary Jumin was willing to give. He found out about the difficulties she experienced whilst she was still working for Jumin, but was surprised when it turned out not to be as bad as she had described in chat. As he took the elevator going downstairs, he remembered the time when he visited her in the bakery and cafe shop she had established with [y/n] and told her personally about his experience working under Jumin. 

“I always thought it was like hell, but it turned to work out just fine.” he had said, carrying a box filled with cat-shaped pastries. He was to deliver it to him. 

“But I see that he still likes cats.” Jaehee returned, smiling. She remembered when she was under him; she had to plan continuous cat projects and take care of Elizabeth 3rd when he asked her to. “Except by the looks of it, his obsession seems to have toned down... how is he?”

“Oh, he’s... fine? I don’t really know, he doesn’t really exit his office often. I check his health reports though, they’re good. If you compare him to before, he’s a better boss now. He’s still gives a lot of things to do, but they’re reasonable.”

“You’ve been getting vacation days, I hope?” Jaehee asked. Yoosung nodded in response. He stood before the counter for a while, then exhaled quickly.

“Welp! I guess that’s all for now... don’t want to be late!” he said. Jaehee waved goodbye as he opened the door and headed outside, giving a thumbs-up sign. Yoosung brushed the memory aside and searched for the documents. They were placed on top of the front desk. He retrieved them and pressed the ‘up’ button on one of the elevators’ control panels when a security guard called out.

“Mr. Kim? Chief Assistant of Mr. Han?” the guard demanded. The blonde looked at him. He was handed a parcel and a box. He held the parcel with his left hand and wrapped his right arm around the box, which he placed the documents on. “They are from a red-haired man who wore glasses. He wishes you and Mr. Han a good day.” Yoosung nodded and went inside the elevator as the guard walked away. He read the labels on both packages. ‘For: Cat Mom’ was written on the parcel and ‘For: Superman Yoosung★’ was written on the box that was decorated weirdly. There were hearts and emojis everywhere, and he could smell perfume coming from it. The only thing that made him want to open it was the fact that there were bags of Honey Buddha Chips inside waiting to be opened. 

“Seven... why do you have to do this...?” he asked himself. His friend always behaved strangely. The elevator made a sound and the doors opened. Yoosung approached Jumin’s office and knocked on the door as a courtesy to his boss. “Excuse me, Jumin...? I have the documents and a parcel from Seven.” 

“Has the security guard checked the parcel? I don’t want it to be another one of Luciel’s prank packages.” Jumin responded. Yoosung rotated the medium package in his hands and found a note scribbled at the side. He did not read it, but he had a feeling that it was important.

“Yes, sir. It’s not one of his pranks.” he said. Jumin asked him to enter, and he walked inside, placing the parcel gently on the desk along with the documents. Jumin scanned the parcel and thanked Yoosung as he grabbed the papers. Yoosung said a quick ‘goodbye’ and exited the room, leaving Jumin alone. Jumin was ready to look away from the medium-sized box on his table when he saw a note scribbled on one of the sides. The handwriting was messy, but he could understand it; and he was shocked to see it as he knew only one person who possessed that kind of handwriting. He read the note aloud.

“Luciel, if you could understand this, please bring this package to Jumin. Thank you.” Hmm. He took off the wrapping paper slowly and saw a box; a wooden one. He opened it and was shocked to see a camera and a piece of paper. He took the paper out of the box and saw a photo underneath. He took the photo out and placed it behind the white piece of paper, which he unfolded. It was a letter. 

 

“Hello, Jumin. I’m sure that by the time you read this, I’ll be gone. I know you wouldn’t want to hear or read this, but I’ll say it anyway: I’m sorry for not telling you about my condition. I may have said it far too many times before that it is sickening to read, but please allow me to say it one last time. Anyways, I may not know exactly what you’re thinking, but I hope you forgive me and are currently fulfilling the promises I have asked you to keep. I know I don’t deserve to ask such from you considering what I have done, and that I’ve sinned greatly against you for deceiving you, but I beg you to respect my final wishes. Thank you for being the one I could go to when I was a young child... even when I was already grown-up. Throughout my life, I admired you as you always succeeded. You were always good at everything. You were excellent. You are a good man, you always were, and I wish you to stay as one. You were the best person in terms of almost everything, but you always lacked emotion. You always refused to open up to others, and I, as your friend, wanted to change that. I wanted to teach you how to let your emotions free, but I failed. Now, through this letter, I would like you to ask you another, last favor: please do your best to solve that flaw. Let your emotions free. You, as a businessman might think they’re just a waste of time, but they’re not, they never were. You craved success, and I say to you, you may be the smartest, you may be the most fortunate, and you may be the richest in the world; but you’ll never be truly successful if you don’t know how to express yourself. Self-expression is important, and if you can’t do that, demons will grow within you and consume you. I don’t want that to happen to you, as I feel it has happened to me, so change. Be the perfect man I once thought you were. And take care of yourself, okay? I’ve heard of what you did. Luciel contacted me earlier telling me how you stole one of his cars and crashed it. I’m happy you didn’t get hurt, but you know what’s strange? That particular incident reminded me of how we became friends. I still remember the sight of you crashing your toy car into the back of our house, and how I asked you to become friends with me in compensation for the damage. The memory still resonates within me... and speaking of memories, I’ve enclosed inside the box my favorite camera and a photograph to remember me by. I guess I’ve said all I needed to say, so I guess I’ll end the letter here. Take care of the RFA for me, okay? 

-V”

 

Jumin folded the paper and kept it inside the box. The picture he stared at, observing the smile his friend had on his face, and he remembered the question V asked him:

 

“Have you heard of the phrase ‘pass the torch’?”

 

That question would’ve been strange to him before that time, but he quickly understood then... and he nodded, still leaning forward. Jumin contemplated on the phrase for a short while, and he realized something; but he thought it could not be possible. Why him out of all the other members?

“V, why would you hand over the RFA to me?” he had asked.

“You’re the most responsible person I know. You are capable of almost everything, and you’re as powerful as how much people respect you. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle the RFA and protect the lives of those who are part of it. Rika would’ve wanted that as well. As your friend, I trust you fully. As your friend, I appoint you as leader of the RFA.” V replied, his voice serious. 

“If you wish it, then I will accept the position. Just know that I will try my best to become the leader you want me to become.” Jumin said, promising his dying friend that he would fulfill his final wishes.

“Then... I guess I can sleep well knowing that I’ve chosen someone I can rely on even after losing myself here on earth.” The mint-haired man said, pressing the button that would help administer the Morphine into his body. Jumin, knowing that he would not be able to converse with V much longer said one last word.  
“Farewell.” That was all he needed to say. V smiled again.

“Farewell, my friend... and...”

“Thank you.”

 

...

 

It would be a week later when V passed away. He suffered as well from delirium, and Jumin constantly reminded him of who he was, as well as introducing himself repeatedly. V had told him time to time in his delirious state that he could hear voices calling out to him, asking him to follow them, only to whine later about how he could not see. It hurt Jumin to see his friend in such a pitiful state, but he visited him everyday after work just to check on him. There was one day though when the doctor had texted him, telling him to rush over to the hospital for V was nearing his time. Jumin had excused himself that day, and he could not breathe until he reached the room and discovered that V was still alive... just barely. In his friend’s final moments, he had told him his identity once after V had asked in a very weak voice who it was. Upon his death, Jumin had told him that he was finally going to see Rika again; and although V could not remember her due to his delirium, that name strangely put a sad, tight smile on his lean face. Jumin had mourned over his closest friend’s death ever since, and he kept all the promises he had made to him, making the RFA one of his top priorities and practicing how to express his emotions; always saying the same phrase that allowed him to push himself forward:

 

“For V.”

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so sorry. 
> 
> And if I got any details wrong, please pardon me... 😖


End file.
